Covers for electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022007533-A1
Application number	US-201917054562-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 28, 2019
Priority date	Mar 28, 2019
Publication date	Jan 6, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure is drawn to covers for electronic devices, methods of making the covers, and electronic devices. In one example, a cover for an electronic device comprising: a metal cover substrate; a micro-arc oxidation layer or a non-transparent passivation treatment layer on a surface of the metal cover substrate; an outmold decoration layer on the micro-arc oxidation layer or the non-transparent passivation treatment layer, a chamfered edge including a chamfer at an edge of the metal cover substrate, wherein the chamfer cuts through the micro-arc oxidation layer or the non-transparent passivation treatment layer and the outmold decoration layer to expose the metal cover substrate at the chamfered edge; a transparent passivation layer on the chamfered edge where the metal cover substrate is exposed; and a protective coating on the transparent passivation layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cover for an electronic device comprising:
a metal cover substrate; a micro-arc oxidation layer or a non-transparent passivation treatment layer on a surface of the metal cover substrate; an outmold decoration layer on the micro-arc oxidation layer or the non-transparent passivation treatment layer; a chamfered edge including a chamfer at an edge of the metal cover substrate, wherein the chamfer cuts through the micro-arc oxidation layer or the non-transparent passivation treatment layer and the outmold decoration layer to expose the metal cover substrate at the chamfered edge; a transparent passivation layer on the chamfered edge where the metal cover substrate is exposed; and a protective coating on the transparent passivation layer.

2 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the metal cover substrate comprises aluminum, magnesium, lithium, titanium, zinc, niobium, stainless steel, or an alloy thereof.

3 . The cover of claim 2 , wherein:
the micro-arc oxidation layer is formed by plasma electrolytic oxidation of the surface of the metal cover substrate; or the non-transparent passivation treatment layer having a thickness of from about 1 to about 5 μm, and the non-transparent passivation treatment layer comprises molybdates, vanadates, phosphates, chromates, stannates, manganese salts, or combinations thereof.

4 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the protective coating is a paint coating comprising a colorant and a polymeric binder.

5 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the protective coating is an electrophoretic deposition coating comprising a polymer binder, a pigment, and a dispersant.

6 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the transparent passivation layer comprises a chelating agent and a metal ion, a chelated metal complex of the chelating agent and the metal ion, an oxide of the metal ion, or a combination thereof, wherein the metal ion is an aluminum ion, an indium ion, a nickel ion, a chromium ion, a tin ion, or a zinc ion.

7 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the outmold decoration layer comprises polyester, polyvinyl chloride, polyacrylic, polyurethane, silicone rubber, or combinations thereof.

8 . An electronic device comprising the cover of claim 1 .

9 . A cover for an electronic device comprising:
a metal cover substrate; a micro-arc oxidation layer or a non-transparent passivation treatment layer on a surface of the metal cover substrate; a primer coating layer on the micro-arc oxidation layer or on the non-transparent passivation treatment layer; an outmold decoration layer on the primer coating layer; a chamfered edge including a chamfer at an edge of the metal cover substrate, wherein the chamfer cuts through the micro-arc oxidation layer or the non-transparent passivation treatment layer, the primer coating layer, and the outmold decoration layer to expose the metal cover substrate at the chamfered edge; a transparent passivation layer on the chamfered edge where the metal cover substrate is exposed; and a protective coating on the transparent passivation layer.

10 . An electronic device comprising: an electronic component; and the cover of claim 1 .

11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic device is a laptop, tablet computer, smartphone, an e-reader, or a music player.

12 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the chamfered edge is located at an edge of a touchpad, an edge of a fingerprint scanner, an outer edge of the cover, an edge of a sidewall, or an edge of a logo.

13 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the cover comprises multiple chamfered edges with multiple protective coatings at different chamfered edges.

14 . A method of making a cover for an electronic device comprising:
forming a micro-arc oxidation layer or a non-transparent passivation treatment layer on a surface of a metal cover substrate; applying an outmold decoration layer on the micro-arc oxidation layer or on the non-transparent passivation treatment layer; forming a chamfered edge at an edge of the metal cover substrate by the chamfer cutting through the micro-arc oxidation layer or the non-transparent passivation treatment layer and the outmold decoration layer to expose the metal cover substrate at the chamfered edge; forming a transparent passivation layer on the chamfered edge where the metal cover substrate is exposed; and applying a protective coating on the transparent passivation layer.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the metal cover substrate comprises aluminum, magnesium, lithium, titanium, zinc, niobium, stainless steel, or an alloy thereof.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Wu Kuan-Ting
• Chang Chi Hao
• Kashyap Chalam

Classifications

• A45C11/003

  for storing portable computing devices, e.g. laptops, tablets or calculators · CPC title

• G06F2200/1633

  Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer · CPC title

• G06F1/1656

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title

• B32B33/00 Primary

  Layered products characterised by particular properties or particular surface features, e.g. particular surface coatings; Layered products designed for particular purposes not covered by another single class · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title